If there was one theme that stood out during the visit by Vice-President Zeng Qinghong it was the appeal for harmony. In his 10-minute dinner speech, the Chinese leader used the words 'harmony' and 'harmonious' no less than seven times. Chief Executive Donald Tsang Yam-kuen, in his much shorter remarks, said the word 'harmony' four times.
True, aside from the very brief interruption by legislator and activist 'Long Hair' Leung Kwok-hung, the evening passed without incident. One could say there was harmony in the air.
But was there? Clearly, the members of the democratic camp - while delighted to be included, for once, in such an event - were still disappointed that Mr Zeng took no notice of them. He did not shake hands with any of them or take note of the letter that they had presented to him, via the chief executive, asking for a reconsideration of the central government's decision to rule out universal suffrage in 2007 and 2008.
When Mr Zeng ended his visit on Monday, he bemoaned the fact that because of his tight schedule he had not been able to see more things and listen to more voices. But when asked if the voices he had failed to hear included those from the pro-democracy camp, he did not respond. Presumably, those were voices he did not hear because he did not want to hear them.
The chief executive tried to pour oil over troubled waters. Through his spokesman, Mr Tsang said Sunday's dinner, with politicians from different sectors and different backgrounds, was in itself a breakthrough and marked a good beginning for creating harmony.
Indeed, Mr Tsang, in his dinner remarks, had in effect gone so far as to call members of the democratic camp patriotic, something that central government officials have yet to do.
Referring to the presence of people from 'different sectors, backgrounds and political parties - indeed, people of different minds', the chief executive said that, despite their differences, he was sure that 'we are of one heart in our love for our country and Hong Kong'.
